§ 32-1. Definitions.
Whenever in this chapter the following terms are used, they shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them in this section:
Alley: Any street having no regular or official name other than "alley" and being twenty (20) feet or less in width.
Authorized emergency vehicles: Vehicles of the fire department (fire patrol), police vehicles, public and private ambulances for which permits have been issued by the state board of health, and emergency vehicles of municipal departments or public service corporations as are designated or authorized by the city council.
Business district: The territory contiguous to and including a roadway when within six hundred (600) feet along such roadway there are buildings in use of business or industrial purposes which occupy at least three hundred (300) feet of frontage on one side or three hundred (300) feet collectively on both sides of the roadway, or any other area so classified by the city zoning ordinance.
Bus: Every motor vehicle designated for carrying more than ten (10) passengers and used for the transportation of persons; and every motor vehicle other than taxicabs designed and used for the transportation of persons for compensation.
Bus stop: A section of the roadway along the edge thereof marked by signs reading "bus stop" as a place for the sole use and convenience of the general public to board and depart from any bus.
Commercial vehicle: Every vehicle designed, maintained or used primarily for the transportation of property with a weight in excess of fifteen hundred (1,500) pounds.
Controlled-access or limited-access highway: Every highway to which owners or occupants of abutting lands and other persons have no legal right of access to or from the same except at such points only and in such manner as may be determined by the public authority having jurisdiction over such highway.
Crosswalk: That part of a roadway at any intersection included within the connection of the lateral lines of the sidewalks on opposite sides of the street, whether marked or not, measured from the curbs or in the absence of curbs, from the edges of the traversable roadway. The word "crosswalk" also includes any portion of a roadway at an intersection or elsewhere distinctly indicated for pedestrian crossings by lines or other markings on the surface.
Curb: The edge of a street, roadway or highway.
Curb loading zone: A space adjacent to a curb reserved for the exclusive use of vehicles during the loading or unloading of passengers, freight, merchandise or other material.
Digging out: The practice of starting any motor vehicle from a standing position by applying a sudden burst of power, recognized by spinning rear wheels and noise of tires on the surface of the roadway.
Double parking: The standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, upon a street or roadway in the rear of an angle-parked vehicle at the curb of such street or alongside a vehicle parked parallel with the curb of such street.
Driver: Every person who drives or is in actual physical control of the movements of a vehicle.
Driveway, private: Any entrance or exit over the sidewalk or sidewalk area of any street affording a means of ingress or egress for vehicles to or from any private property, or the entrance or exit of any private garage into or from any alley.
Driveway, public: Any entrance or exist over the sidewalk or sidewalk area of any street affording a means of ingress or egress for vehicles to or from any public property.
Freight loading zone: See "curb loading zone."
Intersection: The area embraced within the prolongation or connection of the lateral curblines or, if none, then the lateral boundary lines of the roadways of two (2) streets or highways which join one another at, or approximately at, right angles, or the area within which vehicles traveling upon different streets or highways joining at any other angle may come in conflict. Where a highway includes two (2) roadways thirty (30) feet or more apart, then every crossing of each roadway of such divided street or highway by an intersecting highway shall be regarded as a separate intersection. In the event such intersecting street or highway also includes two (2) roadways thirty (30) feet or more apart, then every crossing of the two (2) roadways of such highway shall be regarded as a separate intersection.
Laned street: A street which is divided into two (2) or more clearly marked lanes for vehicular traffic.
Light commercial vehicle: Every vehicle designed, maintained or used primarily for the transportation of property with a weight of less than fifteen hundred (1,500) pounds.
Limit lines: Boundaries of parking area, loading zones, safety or danger zones and lines marked for the purpose of excluding traffic or parking.
Map, official traffic-control: An engineering drawing of such dimensions and scale as to show clearly all streets, alleys, speed limits, traffic movement regulations and prohibitions, type of traffic-control devices, right-of-way dimensions and names of all streets within the boundaries of the city.
Motorcycle: Every motor vehicle having a saddle for the use of the rider and designed to travel on not more than three (3) wheels in contact with the ground but excluding a tractor.
Motor scooter: See "motorcycle."
Motor vehicle: Every vehicle which is self-propelled and every vehicle which is propelled by electric power obtained from overhead trolley wires, but not operated upon rails.
Negligence: The failure to use that degree of care that a reasonable and prudent person would use under the same or similar circumstances.
No parking zone: A space or area on the roadway adjacent to the curb, whether marked by official signs or not, in which no vehicle may be parked.
Official traffic-control devices: All signs, signals, markings and devices not inconsistent with this chapter placed or erected by authority of a public body or official having jurisdiction for the purpose of regulating, warning or guiding traffic.
One-way street: A street on which all vehicular traffic is required to move in the same general direction as indicated by direction signs.
Park or parking: The standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, otherwise than temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged in loading or unloading materials or passengers except an involuntary stopping of such vehicle by reason of mechanical failure or at the direction of a police officer.
Parking stall or parking space: That portion or section of a roadway adjacent to the curbing or edge, set apart, marked and bounded by lines painted or marked upon the surface of the roadway and extending into the roadway for the use of parking vehicles; or that portion of any alley marked by official signs showing such space to be a parking zone.
Passenger: Any person in or on a vehicle other than the driver, whether or not the vehicle is moving.
Passenger loading zone: See "curb loading zone."
Pedestrian: Any person afoot.
Police officer: Every officer of the municipal police department or any officer authorized to direct or regulate traffic or to make arrests for violations of traffic regulations.
Private road or driveway: Every way or place in private ownership and used for vehicular travel by the owner and those having expressed or implied permission from the owner but not by other persons.
Procession or parade: A group of pedestrians or vehicles standing or moving on a street and occupying more than six hundred (600) feet of the street and having a common destination, purpose or direction.
Public place: A place where people are assembled or to which people commonly resort for purposes of business, amusement, recreation or other lawful purposes and, for the purpose of this chapter, shall include all streets and alleys within the boundaries of the city.
Railroad: A carrier of persons or materials upon cars operated upon stationary rails, including a motorized locomotive with or without cars coupled thereto operated upon rails.
Residence district: The territory contiguous to and including a street or highway not comprising a business district when the property on such street or highway for a distance of three hundred (300) feet or more is, in the main, improved with residences or residences and buildings in use for business or any other area so classified by the city zoning ordinance.
Right-of-way: When pertaining to traffic, the privilege of the immediate use of the roadway. When pertaining to land, that portion of land that is publicly owned and primarily destined either all or in part for the use of the public as a street or roadway.
Roadway: That portion of a street or highway, improved, designed for or ordinarily used for vehicular travel exclusive of the berm or shoulder. In the event a highway includes two (2) or more separate roadways the term "roadway" as used herein shall refer to any such roadway separately but not to all such roadways collectively.
Route: A street on which signs are erected giving notice thereof that certain types of vehicles may or may not be operated.
Safety zone: The area or space officially set apart within a roadway for the exclusive use of pedestrians and which is protected or is so marked or indicated by adequate signs as to be plainly visible at all times while set apart as a safety zone.
School bus: Every motor vehicle owned by a public or governmental agency or a private person or agency and operated for the transportation of children to or from school.
Sidewalk: That portion of a street between the curblines, or the lateral lines of a roadway, and the adjacent property lines intended for the use of pedestrians.
Signs and signals: When pertaining to drivers of vehicles, the position of a driver's hand or arm to indicate to the driver of other vehicles that he intends to stop, start or change his direction of travel. When pertaining to a physical object or marking, any official traffic-control device.
Stand or standing: The halting of a vehicle whether occupied or not, otherwise than for the purpose of and while actually engaged in receiving or discharging passengers.
Stop: When required, means complete cessation of movement.
Stop, stopping or standing: When prohibited, means any stopping or standing of a vehicle, whether occupied or not, except when necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with the directions of a police officer or traffic-control sign or signal.
Street or highway: The entire width between the boundary lines of every way publicly maintained when any part thereof is open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel.
Through street or highway: A street or highway, or a portion thereof, on which vehicular traffic is given preferential right-of-way, and at the entrances to which vehicular traffic from intersecting highways is required by law to yield the right-of-way to vehicles on such through highway in obedience to either a stop sign, caution sign or yield sign when such signs are erected as provided in this chapter.
Tractor: A motor vehicle other than a truck which is designed, maintained or used primarily for the pulling, pushing or dragging of other objects.
Traffic: Pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, streetcars and other conveyances either singly or together while using any street for purposes of travel.
Truck: See "commercial vehicle."
Tunnel or underpass: A complete enclosure through which passes a street, roadway or walkway.
U-turn: The turning or causing the turning of a vehicle, so that when such turn is completed such vehicle will be headed in the opposite direction from that in which it was headed before such turning was begun, whether or not such vehicle is pulled into a driveway or any space beyond the curbline of the street.
Vehicle: Every device in, upon or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a public highway, except devices moved by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks.
Walks: Areas in public ways designed primarily for pedestrian use.
Zones: Areas in public ways designed for limited or specialized use.
(Ord. No. 0139, Art. I, 3-12-29)